Even books can bring a bit of light

November 27, 2008|By Rebecca Dittmar

It seems to us that the winter holidays should be a time of light. We have twinkling multi-colored bulbs on our houses and bushes. We set out ceramic villages with warm glows emanating from the tiny windows. And if you think I'm only imagining Christmas decorations, think again. Hanukkah isn't called the Festival of Lights for nothing and South Florida has the highest concentration of Menorahs in the country.

Most of our holidays center around birth and the miracle of continuing life. So why do so many of our winter stories have such a dark side? Why is winter such a strange dichotomy?

Is it just an attempt to dovetail Halloween with the rest of the season? The movie "Nightmare Before Christmas" comes to mind. Or is there something deeper going on, some unexplored facet of the human psyche that compels us to revel in the darkness of a greenless winter wonderland?

In Florida, of course, we're not so lacking in green plants, but the point remains the same. "A Christmas Carol;" "It's A Wonderful Life," based on a short story called "The Greatest Gift;" and even "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" are not exactly happy stories.

The Grinch and Ebeneezer Scrooge bear a striking resemblance to each other, unhappy souls who resent the happiness of others. And George Bailey, who starts out full of hope and goodwill, is driven to utter despair; on the verge of suicide and wishing he'd never been born.

And these are classics - classics we enjoy with our families over hot cocoa and pumpkin pie!

Somewhere along the way I received a copy of "The Gift of the Magi." I've since read several versions of the story, but in my book, with the deep green cover and the beautiful illustrations, the characters were brother and sister, each sacrificing their most treasured possessions to buy gifts for the other. It's a touching gesture, but without her beautiful long hair, the sister hasn't much use for the tortoise shell combs and without his father's gold watch, the brother hasn't much use for the new chain.

Neither sibling is disappointed though, each treasuring the thoughtfulness and generosity of the other's gift. The Grinch and Scrooge both learn the value of brotherhood and kindness. And George Bailey learns from his very own guardian angel just how valuable and how truly loved he is. And, of course, that's the point of all these stories - and the reason we are drawn to them this time of year.

Winter, the workweek, economic recession, even life itself can seem long, harsh and unforgiving. But the tough times, like winter, cannot go on forever; winter passes into spring, the weekend comes around every seven days and bear markets turn back into bull markets.

Perhaps it's a bit early to be spreading holiday cheer, but these days, we could all use a little extra. We might not be able to buy our loved ones everything we'd like, but how much does it cost to read a book to a child or share a meal with your family? The real light isn't hanging on any tree or even shining from the top of a Menorah. The real light is that which we make ourselves, and it's never too early for that.